UCLA DEI Race‑Equity Director Says He Was Fired Over Charlie Kirk Posts, Plans First Amendment Suit
Johnathan Perkins, former director of race and equity at the public University of California, Los Angeles, says UCLA has fired him over Bluesky posts in which he wrote he was "always glad when bigots die" and that Charlie Kirk "reaped what he sowed" after the conservative activist’s September 2025 assassination at Utah Valley University. Perkins, who was placed on leave in mid‑September as UCLA condemned any "celebration" of violence, now claims in fresh posts that his termination violates his First Amendment rights and is using a GoFundMe to raise money for living expenses and a planned lawsuit against the school. The Fox report reproduces several of his now‑deleted comments about Kirk, along with his later insistence to the UCLA Daily Bruin that he did not "celebrate" the killing but stands by not being sad about it. A UCLA spokesperson told Fox the university does not comment on personnel matters but noted employees who receive a notice of intent to terminate can respond before any final action, signaling that internal proceedings are still formally underway. The case intensifies national fights over whether and when public‑university DEI officials’ political speech about controversial figures—particularly applauding their deaths—remains protected, especially in the charged climate following Kirk’s assassination and other high‑profile firings for social‑media comments.
📌 Key Facts
- Johnathan Perkins says UCLA fired him from his post as director of race and equity because of his Bluesky posts about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- In September 2025 posts, Perkins wrote that Kirk "reaped what he sowed" and that he is "always glad when bigots die," among other comments; UCLA then placed him on leave and publicly condemned celebrating violence.
- Perkins has launched a GoFundMe stating he plans to sue UCLA for violating his First Amendment rights, while a university spokesperson says employees get a chance to respond to any notice of intent to terminate but declined further comment on personnel.
- Perkins told the UCLA Daily Bruin he did not "celebrate" Kirk’s death but reiterated that it is "OK to not be sad" when a perceived bigot dies, underscoring his refusal to retract the sentiments.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, there were 46,728 firearm-related deaths in the United States, with suicides accounting for 56% (about 26,200), homicides for 40% (about 18,700), and the remainder from accidents or undetermined causes.
What the data says about gun deaths in the US — Pew Research Center
Black Americans, who make up 14% of the U.S. population, accounted for 54% of gun homicide victims in 2023, with a victimization rate of 27.5 per 100,000 compared to 3.0 per 100,000 for White Americans; among perpetrators, Black individuals are overrepresented in homicide arrests, correlating with higher poverty rates in affected communities (poverty rate for Black Americans was 17.1% in 2023 vs. 8.6% for White).
What the data says about gun deaths in the US — Pew Research Center
Charlie Kirk stated in a 2023 podcast that 'it's worth having a cost of unfortunately some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other rights,' emphasizing the trade-off for constitutional protections.
Charlie Kirk's Past Quote About Gun Deaths & Second Amendment — IMDb News
In U.S. universities, DEI-related roles are disproportionately held by women and racial minorities; for example, at UC campuses including UCLA, 65% of diversity officers are women, and 45% are Black or Hispanic, compared to overall faculty where White individuals comprise 52% and Black/Hispanic 18% combined (2024 data).
UC workforce diversity — University of California
From 2020-2025, U.S. universities saw over 1,000 cases of faculty or staff discipline or firing over social media posts, with 273 in 2025 alone targeting protected speech, often related to political views; conservative-led complaints accounted for 40% of such cases in 2025.
2025 sets new record for attempts to silence student speech, FIRE research finds — Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time